


I get to love you (it's the best thing that I'll ever do)

by artsyleo



Category: EastEnders (TV)
Genre: Cute, Domestic Fluff, Future Fic, Husbands, M/M, Post-Canon, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:15:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24319429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/artsyleo/pseuds/artsyleo
Summary: Ben has to admit that some part of him is surprised that things are so perfect. It's pretty much written in the laws of Albert Square that no one has a perfect wedding round here, but that's not something he'll let himself dwell on, today of all days. Because today is the day that they can truly forget that wedding-that-never-was because now, instead of Mr and Mrs Highway plastered on cheesy white banners around the Vic, its Mr and Mr Highway-Mitchell.
Relationships: Callum "Halfway" Highway/Ben Mitchell
Comments: 12
Kudos: 61





	I get to love you (it's the best thing that I'll ever do)

Ben has to admit that some part of him is surprised that things are so perfect. It's pretty much written in the laws of Albert Square that no one has a perfect wedding round here - Ben felt first hand the effects of this law (curse is perhaps more apt) at Callum's first failure of a wedding, but thats not something he'll let himself dwell on, today of all days. Because today is the day that they can truly forget that wedding-that-never-was because now, instead of Mr and Mrs Highway plastered on cheesy white banners around the Vic, its Mr and Mr Highway-Mitchell, and the banners are an elegant blue and white (Callum had said that they matched Ben's eyes, and Ben couldn't bear to deny his fiance after that).   
The whole square, in fact, is decorated in blue and white flowers, and cute little fairy lights which shine like stars in the dimming sunlight. There's candles and lanterns too, around the entrance of the pub and the gates of the square, every single one lit by hand by Kathy and, begrudgingly, Ian, and it makes the square look like a fairytale scene, and Ben doesn't think a place of such misery could look so beautiful. 

There's no fathers in sight, Mitchell or Highway, and Ben couldn't be happier about that. Phil's off in Portugal, probably, with Sharon, and Callum hasn't heard from Jonno in a year now (not that that's exactly a disappointing fact). Kathy is all the parentage Ben needs tonight, and Callum seems perfectly content with Mick by his side, a look of pride set into the landlord's face that's been there for weeks now (Ben thinks he'd caught Mick getting choked up at the Mitchell-Highway signs earlier, but he doesn't mention it if he did). Most of the residents have come to watch, but in the centre of the square it's just family and close friends- Kathy, Jay, Lola and Lexi for Ben, and Mick, Linda and Stuart for Callum. They're all dressed up nicely, Lexi in particular in a dress that sparkles in the low light, one that she'd picked out herself. Kathy's dressed up in a blue dress which matches Ben's suit, and Mick is dressed in a navy suit, a white flower pinned to his lapel. But Ben doesn't really care about how any of them look, because standing across from Ben is the most beautiful man he's ever seen, without a doubt. Callum is stood in a beautiful blue suit, with a matching tie and a white shirt, with a white flower to match Mick's pinned to his lapel. His hair is done perfectly, and he hasn't stopped smiling since this morning, and he looks so beautiful like that- the light from the candles and the fairy lights just catches on his beautiful eyes, and the glint of happy tears that reside within them, and Ben doesn't think Callum has ever looked so perfect. He'd told him that earlier, when he'd walked up their makeshift aisle to stand next to Callum, but Callum had just blushed so beautifully, repeating the same sentiment back to Ben. It feels like it's just them in the world now, even though there's about fifty pairs of eyes staring at them, not to mention the guy that they'd hired to officiate standing just in front of them. Ben can vaguely clock that he indicates for the vows to be read, and then Callum turns to him, the most beautiful smile on his face. This is the only part of the day that feels like a bit of a sore spot for Ben- he's still getting used to the implant, which could make it hard for him to understand Callum. That's why they'd opted for no music, and limited people- to make it as easy for Ben as possible. Before Ben can even properly start to worry, though, Callum lets go of Ben's hands, and indicates for Ben to watch him- and he *signs it*, so that, between Callum's ever-growing knowledge of sign, and Ben reading his lips, he gets every word;

Ben, for so long in my life I thought I could never have this. I thought that I'd never get the chance to truly be myself, to be with someone I truly loved. When I lost Chris, I thought I'd lost my last chance at having something real- I spent so long trying to convince myself that I could be happy in ignorance of that part of myself. But then you came crashing into my life, and you made believe that I could have everything that I wanted. I could love someone properly, heart and soul, for the rest of my life, and there's no one else I want to do that with. We've had our fair share of troubles, anyone could tell you that for nothing, but I would do it all a thousand times if I knew that at the end of it all, I could be standing here, marrying you. 

By the end of it, Ben can feel that he's crying, proper tears, but there's nothing sad in them, not when it feels like Callum's just offered his soul to Ben, only asking for his love in return. Callum lifts a hand to wipe the tears from Ben's cheeks, but he doesn't look worried, because there are tears on his own too. The officiator smiles and nots towards Ben, who nods back and turns back to Callum. He might not be able to hear himself say most of it, but he doesn't need to- as long as Callum can hear it.   
"Callum, for my whole life I've been searching for something that I thought I'd never get again after Paul. It's no secret that I've had people in my life that have made me feel unlovable, but no one has ever made me feel as loved as you make me feel, every single day of my life, and even if it takes me every day until the day I die, all I want is to make you feel just as loved in return. I want to make you laugh, and make you smile, and make you love yourself just as much as I love you, because all I've wanted to do for the past year is spend my life loving you."  
By the end of his speech, Ben doesn't need to hear his voice to know that it's cracking, but he doesn't have it in himself to be embarrassed when Callum's looking at him like he's hung the stars. It's such an intense look that Ben has to look away for a minute to compose himself, but Callum pulls him back soon with a hand on his chin, and pulls him forward into a kiss. When they pull apart, the officiator tells them that it's time to exchange rings, and Ben turns around to find Lexi stood behind him, holding the ring out with this beautiful grin on her face. He takes the ring from her carefully, and turns back to Callum, who's just taken his ring from Mick, who offers him a hug, and who definitely has tears in his eyes now. They've got matching rings, simple gold bands, with a little heart engraved on the inside, and it's so perfectly *them* that it hurts. He pushes the ring onto Callum's left ring finger, and Callum pushes it onto his own ring finger, but on his right hand, and he almost wants to cry at the compassion, even just of that. 

(They'd talked about it extensively, about the fact that Ben has already promised his left ring finger to someone else, and how he just doesn't have it in him to remove that ring for good- not that Callum wants to make him, either, as he reassures Ben. He guesses its because Callum understands it- what it's like to lose your first love. There will always be a part of his heart promised to Paul, but he's promising the rest of it to Callum, right there.)

It feels so right- the pressure of what has become Paul's ring on his left hand, covering up the scarring from the tattoo that's long gone now, and the new feeling of Callum's ring on his right. He's carrying with him the two people who have ever really loved him like that, heart and soul, and nothing could feel better. 

The officiator smiles, and announces that they each could kiss their *husband*. Ben grabs Callum by the lapels of his jacket and pulls him in, pressing their lips together firmly, to what sounds like muffled cheers from all around them. None of that matters right now anyway, not when Ben's whole world is his husband kissing him in front of everyone that's ever told him he couldn't have this. They pull away reluctantly and Callum pulls him into a hug, so that Ben can whisper in his ear.   
"I love you," Ben says, and nothing in that moment could feel more right.

**Author's Note:**

> this is the fluffiest thing I've ever written and I have no regrets, I got a prompt on tumblr and wrote all 1.5k words of this at 1am  
> (also the Paul thing took me so long to work out with the hands but it's worth it bc how cute would that be) anyways so enjoy, and feel free to leave me. a prompt on tumblr @artsy-highway   
> Leo <3


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